The Georgia in the Civil War Message Board

quote from General Lew Wallace

General Lew Wallace visited Camp Chase in September of 1862. The following comes from his autobiography printed in 1906 and can be read in Chapter 63 in pages 629 and 630. Of course Lew Wallace saw the conditions of the Union paroled prisoners and was talking about them at Camp Chase. Could the Confederates had it any better? But by then most of them had been paroled and on their way to be exchanged per the Dix-Hill Cartel agreement.

"The quarters in Camp Chase barracks would be a term of very improper application here---consisted of wooden shacks originally well enough for a few but as the increase went on the accommodations grew scantier and scantier until at length thousands were thrust in to occupy what had been intended for hundreds.

We are in the habit of speaking and thinking of Andersonville as the acme of horrors; it may have been so, indeed but of this I am certain Camp Chase was next to it."

Messages In This Thread

quote from General Lew Wallace
Re: quote from General Lew Wallace
Re: quote from General Lew Wallace
Re: quote from General Lew Wallace